7%
very few reviewed studies linked restoration to sustainability
Restoration–sustainability connections are rarely studied
Despite the review's framing around the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, only 7 in 100 studies examined the relationship between restorative natural environments and sustainability outcomes, such as green infrastructure or ecological connection, pointing to a strong need for interdisciplinary research.
While 52% of the studies reported links between psychological restoration and mental health outcomes, fewer addressed connections to education (20%), sustainability (7%) or peace building (2%).
Related findings
1.52×
Less greenspace linked to higher odds of cases accepted for child protective services
Census blocks with <10% greenspace had 1.52× the odds of a case being accepted for CPS services compared to blocks with >30% greenspace
Yuan He et al., 2024, Child Abuse & Neglect
1.52×
Less greenspace linked to higher odds of substantiated child maltreatment reports
Census blocks with <10% greenspace had 1.52× the odds of a substantiated CPS report compared to blocks with >30% greenspace
Yuan He et al., 2024, Child Abuse & Neglect
16.1%
nature exposure around schools offers the highest financial return of all interventions tested
Nature exposure achieved the highest return on investment at 16.1% with a 6.2-year payback period
Yingjie Li et al., 2026, SSRN Electronic Journal
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Where the evidence on classroom air, acoustics, light and green is robust, where it is thin, and what to measure before the build.
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